Machine for molding boot and shoe soles



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. F. W. POPE & G. H. FOX.

MACHINE FOR MOULDING BOOT AND SHOE SOLBS. No. 268,124. Patented Nov. 28,1882.

u. PETERS. Photwuthngnphnr. Wnhinghm ac.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. W. POPE- & GLH FOX. l,

MACHINE FOR MOULDING BOOT AND SHOE'SOLES. No. 268,124. Patented Nov. 28,1882 In all N. Pawn MmLilhomphac Wnlh'mgion. 1c

UNITED STATES PATENT Grates,

FREDERICK W. POPE, OF LYNN, AND GEORGE HENRY FOX, OF BOSTON,

MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE .FOR MOLDING BOOT AND SHOE SOLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 268,124, dated November28, 1882,

Application filed September 25,1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FREDERICK WILLIAM POPE and GEORGE HENRY Fox,citizens of the United States, residing at Lynn and Boston, in thecounties of Essex and Suffolk, respectively, and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Molding-Machinesfor Boot and Shoe Soles; and we do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersor figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to a class of machines for molding boot and shoesoles, in which a set of soles deposited in a pile upon a suitable tableare automatically fed to and afterward discharged from themolding-platens.

Our present improvements consist, first, of means for determiningautomatically the exact position of each sole as it is advanced betweenthe molding-platens by the feed-plate, this portion of our improvementsconsisting in a pair of vibrating bars disposed upon the operatingtableof the machine upon opposite sides of the feed mechanism and the loweror stationary molding-platen, such bars being pivoted adjustably to thetable at their outer or rear ends, and with their opposite or free endsadapted to approach or recede from the ends of the 1 lowermolding-platen, in order to provide guides or stops against which theheel and toe of each sole as it is fed forward over such lower platenabut, the free ends of said bars being crowded toward each other overthe lower platen, each by a connecting-rod, which connects it with anoscillating lever pivoted centrally to the table in rear of thefeed-plate, the pivots which connect such rods with said lever beingdisposed upon opposite sides of the pivot of the latter in order thatwhen this lever is turned in one direction the two bars are caused tosimultaneously approach each other, while a spring suitably appliedserves to force them together as the sole is fed to the platen. Thelever is actuated to expand the bars by a stud from the feed'platewiping against an inclined plane upon one edge of such lever, while thislever and the bars before named are re-- turned or closed by the spring.

Our improvements consist, secondly, of means for grasping and firmlyholding each sole in position over the lower or stationary platen afterthe guide-bars have receded from the ends of such sole and while theupper platen is descending, this portion of our improvements consistingin yielding or spring-impelled clamp-pins contained within pockets inthe bearing-face of each platen and adapted to clamp the sole betweenthem as the upper platen descends, these clamp-pins as the platens meetreceding and burying themselves in their respective pockets fiush withthe face of the platen, in order to present an even surface to act uponthe sole.

Our improvements consist, thirdly, of means for adapting the gage-plate(which governs the passage of each sole to the lower platen) to vary thewidth of the throat which permits of the passage of soles to receivesoles varying considerably in thickness, the same consisting in bevelingthe lower edge ofsuch plate, whereby the throat through which the solepasses is made tapering vertically to such an extent that its height atits narrowest point is practically equal to the thickness of thethinnest sole, while its height at its widest point is equal to orslightly greater than the thickness of the thickest sole. Under thesecircumstances the thinnestsole has free unobstructed passage through thethroat, while the thick sole makes a passage for itself by crowdingagainst the bevel of the gage-plate and lifting the latter.

Our improvements consist, fourthly, in the combinatiomwith a machine ofthe class named, of a vibrating finger adapted, as each sole isdischarged from the lower platen after being molded, to tilt such soleinto an upright position and packit against those already stacked,

the construction and operation of this finger being hereinafterexplained.

The drawings accompanying this specification represent, in Figure l, aside elevation, in Fig. 2 a rea'r en-d elevation, and in Fig.3 averticallongitudinal section,ofthemolds andclamppins of a machine embodying ourimprovements; Fig. 4, a plan of the automatic feed and mechanismconnected therewith; Fig. 5, a front view of receiving-table andvibrating ICO finger; Fig. 6, a cross-section'through gage feed-plate;Fig. 7, a perspective view of end of vibrating bars; Fig. 8, a sectionon line 00 :r ofFig. 2; Fig. 9, a section on line 3] 3 of Fig. 8.

In the above-named drawings the frame of the machine is shown ascomposed of two upright side standards 'or housings, A A, suitablystayed by transverse cross bars or rods.

B represents the operating-table of the machine, which spans thehousingsAA at front and is preferably placed at an angle of fortyfivedegrees to the horizon, sloping downward at rear, this table supportingthesetof soles to be molded.

0 represents a frame spanning the front of the housings and preferablyplaced at an angle of forty-five degrees with the horizon, in order tobe at right angles with the table B, this frame extending above saidtable.

B in the drawings represents a horizontal shaft, mounted in suitablebearingsin the housin gs AA and transversely of the machine, such shaftbeing supplied with the ordinary driving and loose pulleys. Upon one endof the shaft B" we secure a pinion, D, which engages and drives aspur-gear, E, fixed upon one end of a second horizontal rotary shaft, G,situated alongside the shaft B and parallel withit, and,like the latter,mounted in hearings in the housings A A, this latter shaft, G, carryingnear its center a crank, H.

Min said drawings represents a connectingrod, one end of which ispivoted to the wrist of the crank-H, while the other is pivoted to theknuckle of a toggle-joint composed of two links, I I, one of whichtheupper one, I- is pivoted at its upper end to a stationary horizontalcross-bar,1 which spans and. connects the upper parts of the housings AA, while the lower link, I, is pivoted at its lower end to a cross-head,J, making part of a reciproeating frame, the remainder of this framebeing composed of two parallel rods, L L, sliding in bearings L L in thehousings, and united at their upper ends by a cross-bar, L

The customary two platens whereby a sole is molded are shown in thedrawings, the upper one at M and the lower one at N, the latter beingstationary and secured to the crossbarl before named, while the upperand movable platen is secured to the cross-bar L of the movable framebefore named.

The cross-head L slides upon the rods L L, and coiled springs b b areinterposed between such crossbar and nuts screwed upon such rods, thestress of the springs 11 b, which may be regulated by the nuts, servingto determine the degree of pressure exerted by the upper platen upon thesole.

in carrying out our improvements we dispose upon the top of the table Band upon opposite sides of the center thereof, twin bars 0 P, the rearend of each being pivoted, as shown at 0, to an adjustable stud, cl,contained within an inclined slot, e, created in the rear part of thetable B, this adjustable stud having a suitable clamp screw or nut,whereby it may be screwed to said table at any point in said slot. Thefront ends of the bars 0 P extend beyond the front edge of the table Band terminate in curved or concave bearers or stops f f, these bearersbeing disposed opposite the ends of the lower platen, N, and slightlyabove the upper surface of said platen, each bearer or stop having aledge, 9 upon its outer edge, against which the outer corners of thesole bring up as the latter is fed outward.

With extreme variation in size of soles the positions of the bearers ffin relation to the platen must necessarily vary, both laterally andlongitudinally of the table B, and to effect this we employ the slots 6e and adjustable pivots c 0, before named. For instance, in changingfrom childrens to womens numbers, the pivots 0 0 would be moved outwardin the slots 6 e, which slope downward toward the edges of the table B.This act carries the bearers ff laterally of the machine, away from thelower platen, to allow for the increased length of the latter, and ofthe soles to be molded upon it, and at the same time lowers the bearersto accomodate the increase in width of said platen and soles, while atthe same time the pivots connecting the pitmen with said bars must bechanged, aseries of holes in said pitmen enabling this to be done.

To actuate the free ends of the bars 0 Band the bearersff, we employwith each bara. pitman, a n, the outer ends of which are pivoted to thebars 0 P at their rear parts, while the inner ends of these pitmeu arepivoted to opposite ends of a shipper-lever, t, situated centrally ofthe table B and over the feed-plate, to be explained, the pivotj of suchlever being midway of the two pitmen, and erected upon said table inrear of said plate. Swinging the lever '5 upon its pivot j in onedirection tends to crowd the bearers ff apart away from the immediatevicinity of the platen, and affords ample space for passage of a soleover and upon such platen. The lever i is crowded in the oppositedirection and restored to its normal position in alignment with thelongest plane of the table B, and the bearers ffca-used to approach eachother to their fullest extent or closed by a spring, is, one end ofwhich is secured to the table B and the other to the rear end of thelever i.

To confine each sole firmly in position over the lower platen, while theupper platen is descending, after the position of such sole has beenadjusted by the bearers ff, we employ a series of clamp-pins, l l, 850.,m m, 650., which are contained in pockets 0 orp, formed respectively inthe adjacent faces of the two platens and opposite each other, each pinbeing crowded outward beyond the face of the platen to its extremeposition by a spring, q, contained within the pocket, and the two setsof pins,

when the upper platen is at its highest point,

standing sufficiently apart to permit of ready introduction of a solebetween them. As the ICC upper platen completes a portion of its descenttoward a sole upon the pins of the lower platen the upper pins, m, abutagainst such sole. Hence the two series of pins clamp the sole tightlyin position between them while the upper platen completes its descent.As the two platens meet and mold the sole between then .,the two seriesof pins recede into their pockets flush with the faces of said platens.As the upper platen, after the molding of the sole has taken place,rises the two series of pins protrude from opposite directions, and freethe sole from contact with the platens and permit it to readily dropfrom the pins of the lower platen when the upper die reaches asufficient elevation.

To adapt or adjust the gage -plate before named to soles of varyingthicknessin the same set, we proceed as follows: Such gage-plate isshown at r as a flatplate deposited upon the top of the frame 0, andconfined thereto by guides in which it freely plays vertically, thelower edge of this plate standing above the top of ,the.table B adistance sufficient to provide a narrow longitudinal throat, s, forpassage of soles. The lower edge of the gageplate 8 is beveled, as shownas t, in order that the front of the throat 8 shall be deeper than therear thereof, as shown in Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings. The reartermination of the throats is of a height equal to or slightly greaterthan the thickness of the thinnest sole of the set to be molded, whilethefront boundary of such throat is of a height slightly greater thanthe thickness of the thickest sole of such set. Under thesecircumstances the thin sole will be pushed through the throat withouttrouble, the friction of the sole next above it against the bevel tpreventing the latter sole adhering to and following the first. Thethick sole, when fed forward, wipes against the bevel t, pushes plate 1"aside or upward, and forces a passage through the throat s, theremainder of the soles in the pack being held back by the body of theplate, as usual.

To fold or deposit each molded sole in succession upon those previouslydischarged from the platens, we proceed as follows: Q in the drawingsrepresents a flat tablet or shelf, secure to the upper partofthemachine-frame and in the same plane with and constituting practically,if not literally, a continuation of the table B, an orifice or slot, B,being formed in this shelf opposite the throat s to permit of passage ofsoles to the platen N. We create centrally in the shelf Q a slot, it,which is in alignment I, of the toggle-joint before named. As the arm 20swings in arbitrary paths of motion, and as the pack of molded solesincreases to the extent of one additional with every vibration of thearm, it follows. that means must be employed to dispose of the pack asit accumulates. To effect this we connect the ledge c with the shelf Qby a thumb-screw, a, which we screw down to an extent sufficient toinduce-a friction between the ledge and shelf that shall sustain thepack and yet be overcome by the arm 20 as it adds a new sole to thepack; or a plate-spring may be placed between the thnmb-screw and shelffor the same purpose. In one extreme of movementthe packing-arm wprotrudes through the shelf Q and stands practically at right angles tothe top of the latter, whilein its opposite extreme it extends entirelybelow such shelf, in order not to obstruct the descent of a sole downthe latter. In its active stroke the packing-arm w rises erect throughthe slot u, intercepts the molded sole last precipitated from the lowerplaten, and, tilting such sole to a position at right angles to the topof the shelf, deposits it against the last one of the pack, at the sametime pushing forward the entire pack, and with it the ledge 11, uponsuch shelf a distance equal to the thickness of the last sole deposited.

The mechanism for automatically feeding or advancing the soles insuccession to the lower platen'and against the bearers or stops ffconsists of a flat plate, S, laid centrally upon the top of the table Band moved to and fro of thelatter by the following means To the shaft G,before named, we secure at a suitable point a disk, 1 in one end ofwhich we form a camgrooveyz, into which groove extends a stud, 00secured to and extending laterally from the lower end of an oscillatinglever, I), which is pivoted, as shown at 0 to a bracket, (1 making partof the housing A, the upper end of the bar 11 being pivoted to the frontend of a pitman, 6 the rear end of such pitman being in turn pivoted tothe upper end of a vibratory arm,f which is secured at its lower endrigidly to a horizontal rock-shaft, 9 mounted in bearings erected uponthe top of the frame A. To the rock-shaft g and centrally thereof, isalso rigidly secured the lower end of a bar or rod, h the opposite endof which is pivoted to a rod, If, connected to the under side of theplate S.

Rotations of the shaft G and cam-disk 1/ ef feet, through the agency ofthe lever b )itman 0 and arm f, rockings of the shaft 9 and theserockings, through the aid of the rod h and rod k impart rectilinearreciprocations to the feed-plate S.

To actuate the shipper-bar i in one direction against the stress of itsspring It, and thereby spread the bearers or stopsff, we reduce thefront end of the said bar z" upon one edge, to an obliquebearing-surface or. inclined plane, 4?,

against which astud,j.extending from the-plate F S wipes, as such plateeffects its rearward traverse, the spring k, before named, serving torestore the lever to its normal position as fast as the stud recedes.The feed-plateS is confined to the table B and permitted to slidethereupon by a dovetailed spline secured to the under side of suchplate, and received within a similarly-formed groove in a boss cast uponthe under side of said table.

Preparatory to operating with this machine a set or pile of soles islaid upon the table B, with theirlower edges resting. against thegageplate 1", and the lower sole opposite and ready to enter the threat8. p

The operation of the machine is as follows, presuming the various partsto be in the following position-that is, the arm 20 is in itslowestposition beneath the top of the shelf Q, the feed-plate S is atits extreme rearward position, and the bearers ff separated to theirfull extent, in which case the stud j bears against the straight surfaceof the shipper-bar i, the upper platen stands atits extreme highestposition, ready to descend,and the pins Zm are separated to theirfullest extent: The drivingshat'tGr beingput in rotation, the feed-plateS begins, through theinstrumentality of the camgroove 2, lever b shaft 9and rods or pitmen W, the advance of the feed-plate, and such platecontinues to advance toward the set of soles until it has described aportion-say twothirds, or thereabont-ot' its advance, and pushes thelower sole nearly over the lower platen,the studj mean whiletravelingalong the straight portion Z of the edge of the shipperbariwithout effect upon the latter. The studj now reaches the inclined planei of the shipperbar '11, and travels along such incline as theplate Scompletes its forward traverse, (the spring 7c holding the hart up tosuch stud,) the bars 0 P being thus forced together and the bearersffbrought into immediate proximity to the ends or outer corners of thesole by the action of such spring 70, the bearers in this positionconstituting stops or bearings to the sole, which is advanced againstthem by the feed-plate. As the feed-plate completes its descent theupper platen, by the action of the crank H of the shaft Gr acting uponthe pitman or rod M, toggle I I and cross-head J, descends, and the pinsm m descend upon the sole and clamp the latter between them and thelower pins,l l. The feed-plate S, by the continued rotation of thecam-disk 3 now begins to return or retreat, the groove 2 of such disk-beingpreferably of such form as to aid in effecting this retreat on thefirst half of such retreat very quickly, in order that the spreading oropening of the bars 0 P and the retreat of the bearers ff away from theplaten N may be effected before the descent of the sole upon saidplaten, as otherwise the bearers would obstruct the upper platen, itbeing observed that as the said feedplate retreats its stndj wipesagainst the inclined plane 2' of the shipper-bar i, and by crowding suchbar to one side spreads the said bars 0 P. During the first part of theretreat of the feed-plate the upper platen, M, descends upon the lowerone, N, and molds the sole between them, the pins 1 l and m m retreatingand disappearingwithin their pockets, as stated. The feed'platecontinues to retreat, and the upper platen, by the continued rotation ofthe crank H, begins its ascent, which continues until the pins m miriseabove the sole, when the latter, lifted from off the lower platen by thepins Z Z, drops from such pins upon the shelf Q, down which it slidesuntil it brings up against the ledge '12. The feed-plate now completesits retreat movement, and at the same time the upper platen rises to itshighest point, while simultaneously with such movement the packer-arm w,by the action of the rod 00 and toggle-joint before named, rises to aposition at right angles to the surface of the shelf Q, in its passagetilting the sole and packing it against the ledge '11, at the same timeadvancing such ledge a distance equal to the thickness of the sole thusdeposited against it.

\Ve have stated that the cam-groove z aids in opening the bars 0 P witha rapid movement. which is correct, as such groove retreats thefeed-plate; but the pitch of the inclined plane 1' of the bar 2' hasgreater effect, as the more acute its angle laterally of the table B thequicker will the spreading of the bars be effected.

We claim- 1. The combination, with the feed-plate and the twomolding-platens of a sole-molding machine, of guides or stopsautomatically operating to intercept the advanced sole and determineitsposition over the lower platen-and retreat before the two platensmeet, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the feed-plate and the two molding-platens of asole-molding machine, of guides or steps operating automatically tointercept the advanced sole, and springimpelled pins contained inpockets in the platens, and operating to clamp the sole before meetingof the platens, substantially as described.

' 3. The combination, with the feed-plate and the two molding-platens ofa sole-molding machine, of yielding pins or bearers applied to both ofsaid platens, and adapted as the platens closely approach each other toclamp the sole between them in position over the lower platen, while asthe platens meet such pins recede until their heads are flush with themolding-surfaces of said platens, substantially as described.

4. The bars 0 P, pivoted to the table B, in combination with thefeed-plate Sand platen N, such bars being operated by the pitmeu n n,connecting them with the shipper-bar 'i, and the latter operated in onedirection by the spring k and in the other by the stud j of the saidfeed-plate, substantially as described.

5. The bars 0 P, with their bearers ff, in combination with the platen Mand feed-plate S, said bars being pivoted at their rear ends I 10. Thecombination,with the table B,feed- 3o to the table B, and opened orclosed by suitable means, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the feed-plate S and bars P, pivoted at theirrear ends to the table B, of the shipper-bar i, pivoted to such tableand connected with the bars by the pitmen n, and forced out of itsnormal position to open said bars by the stud j from the feedplateacting upon an inclined plane upon the said bar 6 against the stress ofthe spring 7:, which serves to restore the said bar to its normalposition, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the upper platen having spring-pressed pins 1 l,with the lower platen having spring-pressed pins m m, each pin beingcapable of receding under pressure into the body of its platen, butnormally held in a protruding position by its spring, substantially asshown.

8. The self-adjusting gage-plate r, with the bevel t upon its loweredge, in combination with the table B, frame 0, and feed-plate S,substantially as described.

9. The swinging arm to, in combination with the shelfQ and yieldingledge U, such arm being pivoted at one end to the under side of theshelf, and operated by the rod m and the link I of the toggle-joint,substantially as described.

plate S,.gage-plate r, frame 0, shelf Q, and

ledge '17, of a device operating automatically totilt and pack againstsaid ledge the soles precipitated in succession-from thelower platen,substantially as described.

11. In combination with shelf Q, the yielding ledge 12, attachedthereto, substantially as set forth.

12. The table B, provided with inclined slots 0 e, in combination withthe bars 0 P and adjustable pivots e c, substantially as and for thepurposes stated.

13. In a sole-molding machine, the combination, with themolding-platens, of mechanism, substantially as described, for arrestingthe molded soles in succession as they are discharged i'rom the platens,and packing the entire set thus discharged into a compact pile,substantially as explained.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

FREDERICK WILLIAM POPE. GEO. HENRY FOX.

Witnesses H. E. LODGE, F. CURTIS.

